The present invention relates to improvements in the installation of overhead panels in order to create what are referred to a xe2x80x9cprivacy zonesxe2x80x9d in large exhibition halls, as well as in retail merchandising marts and other large scale arenas.
The buildings for such events and activities have become huge. They frequently have in excess of ten thousand square feet floor space in a given area, without interruption by walls or other lateral floor dividers. It is also customary that these display areas have a height of twenty feet or more, oftentimes extending uninterruptedly to the roof of the building. There are various reasons for the provision of these high, open areas, such as to accommodate large objects that are on display, or to provide readily accessible storage means. In any event, it has been found that it is difficult to transact business, to converse, or to concentrate on details in what can best be described as xe2x80x9ccavernousxe2x80x9d environment.
This has resulted in the practice of creating areas in which business and socializing can be had. This end has been attained by what is referenced as xe2x80x9cprivacy zonesxe2x80x9d, that are created by overhead panels, which are positioned approximately at normal room height over areas of limited lateral extent, when compared to the vastness of a given exhibition hall. Such a privacy zone facilitates conversations with potential customers, the effective display of smaller items and the manual demonstration of the capabilities and characteristics of a particular item, as well as providing a manageable area for check out services, storage of supplies, etc.
There has developed a specialized trade devoted to the provision displays for exhibiting various and sundry items at trade shows, retail outlets, and the like. This specialized trade deals with creating an atmosphere which enhances and facilitates the communications requisite for positively influencing potential customers towards the acquisition of a particular product or service. Such displays are, desirably, light weight and resistant to abuse in order that they may be readily set up in a convention hall and then dissembled and shipped to another trade show in another arena. Even where a display is for a one time use, the need for light weight components and ease of set up is still a prime consideration and economy of construction can be of even greater importance.
In the particular aspect of providing an overhead panel for a selected area of an exhibition hall, or the like, it has become an accepted practice to employ cellular, resinous panels that are highly effective in meeting the light weight requirement. Expanded, foamed polystyrene has been found particularly economical for such purposes. The surface of the expanded polystyrene material is extremely soft so that it is a usual practice to provide an outer surface laminate, or skin, which provides a measure of durability, gives a visual attractiveness as well as providing ignition retardant characteristics that may be mandated by building or fire codes. A typical overhead panel will have a thickness sufficient to give it sufficient strength in being handled as well as for it to be rigid and hold its desired shape, when positioned for display purposes, and usually is capable of being manually carried and positioned for installation.
An accepted practice in creating privacy zones is to secure the upper ends of rods to overlying girders, or other structural members of an exhibition hall. These rods then depend to a point spaced above the convention hall floor, with the overhead panel being attached thereto. The expanded polystyrene core for such panels does not have sufficient strength for these rods to be directly threaded therein. The attaching means has therefore taken the form wooden strips on the upper surface of the overhead panel. Threaded tubes (T-nuts) are mounted on the wooden strips and threadably receive the depending mounting rods.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved suspension system for overhead display panels and in so doing reduce the costs of the system as well as facilitating the installation of overhead display panels.
The foregoing ends may be attained by an overhead display panel installation in which the display panel is positioned in spaced relation above the floor of an exhibition hall, or other building of similar expanse, by a plurality of vertically disposed rods, supported by and depending from structural portions of the exhibition hall. The display panel is of substantial lateral extent, comprising a cellular core, which forms the greater part of its bulk, The display panel is attached to the lower ends of the rods by a plurality of attaching members respectively inserted into openings extending vertically through the display member and laterally spaced relative to each other and also spaced from the peripheral margin of the panel, Each attaching member preferably comprises a tubular body portion into which a lower end portion of a rod may extend, a threaded portion at the upper end of the tubular body portion, engaged with the rod extending therein, and an ornamental flange extending laterally outwardly from the tubular body portion, underlying an adjacent lower surface of the panel and providing support therefor, and torquing surfaces engageable to rotate the attaching member and thereby provide a vertical adjustment relative to the rod and thus establish a desired orientation of the display panel relative to the floor of the exhibition hall.
Additionally it is preferable to detachably mount the attaching members on the display panel in rotatable relation thereto. Preferably a washer is telescoped over an upper end portion of the an attaching member, which projects above an upper surface of the display panel. A snap ring engages the tubular portion of the attaching member immediately above the washer, to mount the attaching member on the panel. An additional feature is found in the tubular portion, the flange portion and the threaded portions thereof being separately formed components secured together to form a unitary attaching member.
FIG. 1 is an elevation of an overhead display panel installation;
FIG. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale and with portions broken away, taken on line 2xe2x80x942 in FIG. 1, showing a plan view of the overhead display panel;
FIG. 3 is section, on a further enlarged scale, taken on line 3xe2x80x943 in FIG. 1 of the prior art connection between the display panel and one its supporting rods, longitudinally of the supporting rod;
FIG. 4 is a section, on the same further enlarged scale, of a connection between a display and a supporting rod, embodying the present invention, also taken longitudinally of the supporting rod; and
FIG. 5 is a bottom view, with portions broken away, of the connection seen in FIG. 4.